Lasting Flavour
by Astral Leopard
Summary: A story about the Dragon and his two pets the Rabbit and the Ox. Starting from Momiji's childhood and progressing through the years.


**Disclaimer and Warning:**  
I do not own Furuba, nor am I making any profit from this. The only thing I own is the story line. This is a Yaoi fiction, meaning - male on male romance.  
**Chapter notes:**  
There is no love love in this chapter. Momiji is about 6 years old, Hatori is 18 (and already in the position of family doctor, imagine that!), Hatsuharu is the same age as Momiji, and Kyo is about 8 years old. Akito is... not important as of yet.  
**Word Count:** 2,143

The small medical room was intimidating and reeked of medicine so strong that the young boy's nose tingled from the other side of the wooden door. For once he was not the one under the care of the family doctor, instead it was his mother. Ever since he emerged from her womb, she expressed her hatred of him with every ounce of her soul; each day it tore him apart to be the cause of such loathing, but he continued to smile and loved her despite her hate. Sometimes, when he lain awake in bed, he wondered what his life would have been like without having been born with the Rabbit curse. What it would have been like to have a mother that loved him unconditionally. Nevertheless, those were the thoughts of a naive child and he was quick to dismiss the foolish dreams - instead he accepted his mother's wishes to have her memory erased of his existence.

Sohma Hatori, the family doctor, had pulled him aside a few sunny days ago and regretfully informed the young boy that his mother wanted to live her life without knowing her son. He gave thought to all the times his mother had spat at him, yelled and cursed her own flesh and blood with absolutely no shame; or rather, the only shame she possessed was knowing she gave birth to a monster. It was not difficult for him to wish happiness on her and fully support the procedure, he only requested that he be allowed to see it happen. To hear her last words however cruel they might be. Nodding at the doctors acceptance and taking note of the time in which the deed would be completed, he turned and ran towards home.

Running through the sunshine and autumn leaves had prevented his thoughts from turning negative and he soon found himself panting on the steps to his home. Only slightly hesitating, he slid open the door and respectively took off his shoes before he ventured on a journey to confront his parents. Rumbles from his stomach broke the silence of his feet quietly padding on the floor as he made his way to the family garden, knowing he could find his mother and father tending the flowers and relaxing in the shade. Instinctively cautious, he shyly peeked from behind a pillar to observe his surroundings before he made himself known. He was not wrong in doing so. His mother was sitting expressionless and alone next to a large wilting tree, completely ignoring the open book in her lap. When she was not angry with him, he admired his mother for her beauty and was jealous of the love his father showered her in.

Sighing and about to call out to her, he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder and turned around only to face his father.

"I assume you hurried home so early because Hatori-san told you of the circumstances involving your mother," he spoke in a hushed tone. "Come with me."

He was guided back to the dinning area in which they sat across from each other, the young boy with his head slightly bowed and the father with a gentle stare. They spoke of what was to happen after the procedure, how he would still continue to have love and support from his father but he would have to keep their relationship a secret from his wife. For a time after the procedure, he best not confront the woman because even though her memories of him would have been erased, it was best to be on the safe side. Eventually the sun sat and the darkness not only cloaked the household, but formed a permanent cloud in his heart.

The meeting was dismissed and he stumbled to his bedroom, falling onto his bed in tears. Through his silent sobbing he heard his father bring his wife inside, heard her asking if the monster was finally locked up in a cage. It was common knowledge that the head of the Sohma family kept the disobedient and rebellious members in a cage, either a private cage accessible only to the top family members, or an outside cage so that people could tease and taunt the captive as they walked by. Either way, wishing the cage upon anyone was cruel and his heart shattered a thousand times over.

The next two days passed in a daze and eventually brought him to his current situation - kneeling outside the medical room. Hatori had greeted him with a professional yet comforting air since he had arrived several minutes early and was in need of obvious reassurance. No, the procedure was not painful. No, he was very careful regarding which memories to erase. After giving the young boy a lollipop to calm his nerves, the doctor lead him outside a second door so that his mother would not see him leave. When she entered the room, he would ask her a few questions and then complete what was required of him.

His hands on the door kept him balanced when his mother determinedly walked into the room. He did hear the doctor asking questions, as he said he would, and since the door was slightly ajar he could hear everything his mother said in response. The tips of his ears flamed with embarassment. She told Hatori how bad of a son he was, how she could not imagine why such a monstrosity was allowed to live by the Gods, and that she hoped his life would be hell without her. Making it clear she had no regrets about her decision she barked at him to hurry because she couldn't bare to live another moment with knowing about the curse.

He heard a sigh followed by a quiet whisper of acknowledgement. Quickly peeping out from behind the door he saw the doctor place a hand over his mothers eyes and a split second later, the form of his mother falling unconscious on the examining table.

"Mother!" He cried out and stood up too quickly, consequently dropping back down to the floor. Half crawling and half stumbling, he made his way to her side and grasped a slender hand in his two small ones.

"I wish I could have told her I loved her before... " His voice cracked. "But now she can be happy."

Hatori silently regarded the young boy. Not too many children would have an outlook like that and he was curious to see what kind of teenager he would grow up to be; but then again, he didn't know much about the Rabbit. Only that he had come in many times due to scrapes and bruises he got while playing with the other boys in the Sohma family, and whenever he came in - he was unlike any other patient he had. The young boy was always asking what certain supplies were for, always laughing at the doctors vague explanations, not once did he ever cry or complain about pain.

"I need to place her in a recovery room and talk to her once she wakes up," he said to the boy. "Until then, I would like you to stick around my office."

The now-orphan child sat in the chair that was previously occupied by the doctor, but otherwise did as he was told and waited until he returned. This, thankfully, didn't take too long of a time. Placing a smile on his face he gave the older man his full and undivided attention and wondered what he could possible have to say to him.

"Have you given any thought to your living arrangements?" Hatori asked knowing he hadn't.

"I was told Monsters like me get put in the cage."

Hatori raised his eyebrows in indignation. This child was in much need of guidance and normalcy; it was sickening that a child at his age would even think about being placed in a cage for any reason let alone something he had absolutely no control over - like the curse.

"Monsters like you..." He trailed off as he squatted in front of the sitting boy. "In the Sohma family there are no monsters. We might be cursed by the Zodiac but we are not monsters, we are human - we can love like any other human, we can get hurt just like any other human. We are different, that is all."

Seeing eyes burn with unasked questions Hatori continued.

"Didn't you know about the others? Did your father not tell you about the story of the Zodiac?" The boy shook his head in response. He remembered meeting Sohma Akito one time, but that was one of his first memories.

"If I were to show you which animal I was cursed with and if I were to tell you the story about the Zodiac - would you wish to live with me? I can answer any questions you may have about us, about medicine, about anything and I can even introduce you to the other Zodiac members."

Sohma Momiji rewarded him with a genuine radiant smile. He wasn't alone after all.

Shortly after their discussion about living arrangements, they agreed that they would stop in at his parents place to pick up a few personal necessities. It was already cleared with his father when he came to speak to Hatori; while he watched over his recovering wife, Momiji and Hatori were to go to the house and take anything they needed. When the younger boy left the two men to talk, the doctor was informed that he would be receiving monthly money payments to help support the boy. He tried reassuring the other man that he was financially stable and if there was a problem then Akito-sama would take care of anything they needed, but the father would hear none of that.

Moments later, Hatori met up with the boy and they walked a short distance to the Rabbit's home where they quickly gathered up some belongings. One of the last things added to the bag was a photo album full with pictures of his mother and father. They were happy pictures with the couple smiling and obviously in love, but the photos must have been taken before Momiji was born since he was in none of them and his mother was too cheerful.

"By taking those you'll only make it harder for yourself," Hatori lightly chided.

"You're probably right. But I cherish the memories I have of her even if they make me feel sad, and these pictures will help me see her for who she will be... now that I've never existed in her life." He sniffled. "All I want is for her to be happy, even if that means sacrificing myself."

The elder Sohma reached out a hand to carry the bag, and thought it best if the boy had a chance to grieve at his own pace. He refused to shout that he was human too, not just his mother. He was not going to force happiness. Slowly, they walked towards Hatori's modest home in the centre of the Sohma estate, neither of them speaking until they passed some younger boys playing Ninja's in a grassy area. They stopped to watch as a white haired boy was thrown to the ground by a slightly older boy.

"Is that all you got, you stupid cow?" The older boy taunted.

Momiji rushed to the aid of the fallen. "Don't call him a stupid cow!" He looked over to his new guardian and found him conversing with a man that came out of what appeared to be a dojo. The stranger barked an order at the two boys and even though they glowered at each other, they turned together simultaneously towards the building.

"Thank-you," the white haired boy called out as he ran back to the martial arts studio.

Alone again, he could only stare in wonder at the boys retreating back. When Hatori rejoined him, he commented on the boy's unique hair colour, after which the older man laughed.

"You just met two of the Zodiac members in the flesh. The gruff looking one was Kyo, the Cat, and the one you adore so much is Hatsuharu, the Ox." he saw the look of amazement cross over the boy's innocent face. "Don't worry; you'll be seeing them again soon"

The pair continued to Hatori's house, where Momiji was promptly shown to a guest room which he had the option of remodeling to suit his style. That night, as the young boy knelt in front of his bed with a full belly, he sent heartfelt prayers to his mother and father, his new guardian Hatori, and the two boys he hoped would some day become his friends. He cried himself to sleep of course, but he felt better knowing that his prayers might be heard.


End file.
